Vacuum sand pump for wells



June 11, 1946. c. c. HEETER VACUUM SAND PUMP FOR WELLS Filed Feb. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR June 11, 1946. c, c HEETER 2,401,871

'* VACUUM SAND PUMP FOR WELLS Filed Feb. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FICRQ.

INVENTOR Colmzel CHeeter m M M Patented June 11, 1946 VACUUM SAND PUMP FOR WELLS Colonel C. Heeter, Butler, Pa., assignor to C. M.

Heeter, Sons & 00., Inc., Butler, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February I, 1941, Serlal No. 377,839

This invention relates to a sand pump for wells and, in particular, to a, vacuum pump effective to remove sand, broken rock or other debris, and water from the bottom of a well.

It has been customary heretofore in the wel drilling art to clean out the accumulation ofsand, rock, and water at the bottom of the,well periodically during the drilling thereof by a sand pump consisting of a length of pipe with a foot valve and a plunger or piston reciprocable therein. Such pumps have not proved very effective for their intended purpose. Because of the nature of the accumulation at the bottom of the well, the piston or plunger is subjected to rapid wear and after even the slightest wear, leakage of air past the piston is permitted, thereby reducing its suction eflect. v

I have invented a novel vacuum pump for cleaning out gas wells during drilling or after a cave-in, or after shooting the well. In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises an air-tight tubular body adapted to be lowered into the well, having a connection adapted to be connected to an air-exhausting means whereby it may be evacuated of air before being lowered. A

valve near the bottom of the body is normally held closed while the pump is being lowered into the well. I providemeans for releasing the valve when the pumpstrikes the bottom ofthe well, whereupon the accumulated mud and debris flow up into the body of the pump under atmospheric pressure. The pump may then be raised and its contents discharged by opening'the tubular body.

The following detailed description and explanation of the invention refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment briefly described above. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is a partial section to enlarged scale taken along the plane of line 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 through are transverse'sectional views taken substantially along the plane of the correspondingly designated lines in Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a detail.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the sand pump of my invention is indicated generally at I and comprises a head I and a tubular body portion I2. The body portion |2 includes one or more lengths of pipe I 3, a bottom sleeve l4 and a valve housing l5 detachably connected to the bottom sleeve.

The head II has a mid-portion I6 of reduced diameter having circumferential grooves adapted to be engaged by fishing tools. The head is also provided with an eye l'l adapted to receive cable 5 Claims. (Cl. 166-19) connections whereby the pump may be lowered into and raised from the well. The head II also has a shoulder l8 and a reduced neck I9 depending therefrom over which the upper end of the pipe I 3 is disposed. The pipe is preferably welded and riveted to the head to provide an air-tight closure for the upper end thereof, A central bore 20 extends through the head. A pipe 2| is threaded into the bore and is provided with a manually operable valve 22 to constitute an exhaust connection. A flexible hose'23 is detachably connected to the valve and extends to a suction pump of any suitable type, for the Durpose of evacuating the pump III of air.

The bottom sleeve H has a shoulder 24 and a reduced neck 25 riveted and welded to the lower end of the pipe l3. The valve housing I5 is connected to the bottom sleeve H by a long pitch threaded joint 26, the pin end of which is on the bottom sleeve l4 and the box end on the valve housing IS. A sealing ring 260. is welded into the box end of the housing I5 and provided with a gasket 26b adapted to be engaged by the pin end of the sleeve Hi to seal the joint. The sleeve M has a longitudinal 'slot 21 in its exterior surface in which a spring 28 is secured. The lower end of the spring normally enters a slot 29 in the upper end of the valve housing IE: to prevent the unscrewing of the latter from the sleeve ll. The conformation of. the spring 28 is such that the lower end thereof is normally urged inwardly. The spring is looped adjacent its upper end, however, so that when moved radially out of the slot 29, it moves, when released, to a laterally ofiset position indicated in dotted lines in. Figure 1 where it does not interfere with the unscrewing of the housing I5. 7

For convenience in manufacture, the housing I5 is composed of two short sections of heavy wall pipe 30 and 3| connected by threaded joint 32. A disk 33 is inserted in the upper end of the section 3| and is permanently secured thereto either by welding or by shrinking the pipe section thereon. The disk 33 has an opening 34 therethrough. A foot valve 35 of the flap type normally closes the opening 34 by cooperationv with a gasket 36 extending around the edge of the opening. The valve 35 is pivoted on a pin 31 extending through lugs 38 on the disk 33. The valve has a hook portion 39 on the lower face thereof adapted to be engaged by a detent 40.

The detent 40 is loosely received in a, longitudinal slot 4| in the interior of the section 3| and has a bearing portion 42 extending through a hole in the section 3|. The detent is secured 3 in position by a pin 48 extending through the section 3| into the slot 4| and through the lower end or shank of the detent.

A thimble 44 is slidably received in the section 3 I Movement of the thimble in the section 3| is limited by guide pins 45 threaded into the section 3| and having reduced inner ends entering longitudinal slots 46 spaced circumferentially of the thimble. The function of the thimble is to displace the detent 40 when the pump strikes the bottom of the well. .When the thimble is arrested by engaging the bottom of the well, continued downward movement of the pump causes an inclined surface 41 on the inner side of the detent 40 to engage the upper end of the thimble whereupon the detent is displaced radially outward and the valve 35 is released.

In using the pump of my invention forits intended purpose, assuming that the pump is above ground, the valve housing 15 is removed from the pump by withdrawing the spring 21 and applying a suitable wrench. The valve 35 is then closed by reaching in the upper end of the housing. The thimble 44 being in its illustrated position, permits the detent 40 to be forced into engagement with the hook portion 39 in the valve by pressure or hammer blows on the bearing portion 42. When the valve has been secured, the housing I is replaced on the bottom sleeve l4 and the joint therebetwee'n made air-tight. The hose 23 is then attached to the valve 22 and the latter is opened. The suction pump to which the hose v 23 is connected is then operated to evacuate the air from the body of the pump. When the desired degree of vacuum has been established within the pump, the valve 22 is closed and the hose 23 detached. The pump is then ready to be lowered into the well.

As previously indicated, when the pump reaches the bottom of the well, the thimble 44 is arrested and continued downward movement of the pump (which is limited by engagement of the lower end of the section 3| with the bottom flange oi the thimble) causes the detent 40 to be displaced radially outward, releasing the valve 35. When the valve 35 is opened, the atmospheric pressure on the accumulation of mud at the bottom of the well forces the latter upwardly into the body of pump. The pump may then be raised for discharging its contents. The weight of the latter holds the valve 35 closed while the pump is being r ised. When the pump has been removed from c well, its contents may be discharged by rentiving the housing I5 at the threaded jointZB. T e pump is then'ready for a further operation, the first step of which is the reclosing of the valve as previously described.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and explanation that the invention is characterized .by simple and inexpensive construction and easy and efiicient operation. The movingparts are not subjected to conditions which would cause rapid wear, so that the device has a long useful life. The operation is entirely automatic and requires only that the pump be lowered to the bottom of the well where the material to be well, a connection to the interior oi! the tube adapted to be placed in communication with an exhaust pump whereby the tube may be evacuated of air, a foot-valve in the tube, a detent normally holding the valve closed, and a thimble slidable in the lower end of the tube for actuating said detent to release the valve.

2. A vacuum sand pump for-wells as defined by claim 1, characterized by said valve and thimble being enclosed in a housing having a quickly detachable threaded connection with the tube proper.

3. A vacuum sand pump for wells as defined by claim 1, characterized by said detent having an inclined face adapted to be engaged by said thimble.

4. A vacuum sand pump for wells comprising an air-tight tube adapted to be lowered into a well, an exhaust connection to the interior of the tube, a valve housing at the bottom of said tube, a flap valve mounted in said housing, a detent normally holding the valve closed, and a member movably mounted in the housing and adapted to throw off said detent and release said valve when said member strikes the bottom of the hole.

5. A vacuum sand pump for wells comprising an air-tight tube adapted to be lowered into a well, an exhaust connection to the interior of the tube, a valve housing atthe bottom of said tube, a ring disposed transversely of said housing and providing a valve seat, a flap valve pivoted to said ring and adapted to engage said seat, means normally holding the valve against the seat, and means movably disposed in said housing adapted to displace said holding means and release the valve on striking the bottom of the well.

COLONEL C. HEETER. 

